Parents are coming together to spread love and positivity after the mass shooting at a Florida high school which left 17 people dead. The horrific event has affected the community as a whole especially school students.

Schools should be a safe and happy place but due to the events of last week, things have felt a little bleak. But these parents are now putting an effort into brightening up schools by painting bathrooms.

A group of fifth-grade moms spent the entire weekend painting words of encouragement in the bathroom of Mary Moore Elementary, Arlington Texas. For 37 hours, they sanded down the surfaces, painted everything black and created their drawings.

Important!

Shooting may happen in any school or workplace where you are. We often try to repel negative thoughts, but in this case, it is important to be prepared for danger and be certain what to do in such situation. Knowledge of how to behave if a shooter attacks the building will increase your chances to escape safely and survive.

1. Run as fast as you can

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When you hear shooting, you have few seconds to estimate the situation and run to the exits. You should be aware of all the ways out – emergency exits, fire escape, windows.

Do not hesitate to jump through the window at the second floor; your number one mission is to run away.

Run fast and straight to the exit, bring people with you if you can.

You have to act immediately. Do not bring your belongings with you. If you have a chance to grab something that could serve as a weapon that is good. If not, do not waste time looking for it.

2. Hide

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If running is not a safe option, find a hideaway behind something solid – thick piece of furniture for example, or a thick wall.

Barricade yourself. Usually, shooting does not continue for more than 15 minutes, so you have a good chance to survive an attack in the cover.

If a shooter is not in the room, cooperate with others and call emergency, barricade the door and find some “weapon”. It could be any hard or sharp objects, something to throw, pieces of glass, any hot liquids.

Turn off the light – it is a small chance a shooter will enter the dark room.

Get away from the doors and windows.

If you are in the room with a door that does not lock, loop a belt or a shirt around the doorknob.

The spot where you hide should not restrict your movements, you should still have a possibility to run if you can. Turn off anything that will give you away with the noise.

3. Attack

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If you cant run or hide, and the encounter with a shooter is inevitable, do not plead for life or try to reason him. These methods were proven ineffective, it is better to attack a shooter if possible.

Use any weapon you can find. Cooperate with other people, try to confuse a shooter with a noise and throwing objects.

If you are close, attack high – the main targets are eyes, neck, chest, arms. If you start attacking, do not hesitate or try to run - it would be fatal. Be as aggressive as you can.

4. When police arrive

When police arrive, their first priority is to deal with a shooter, so stay where you are.

Do not run to the exit; keep your hands up if you see the law enforcement.

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No matter how hard it seems, it is vital to remain calm and focused and not to panic if you appear in a dangerous situation. Hysteria and confusion may attract a shooter and eliminate your chances of salvation. Self-defense lessons could be helpful to fight off an attacker and feel confident in life-threatening situations. It is always better to be prepared beforehand, even though we pray not to appear under attack.